Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Anoushka Slater While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

kristopherreese There might be spoilers in here, but I don't think I will give much away.When I read the description on the box, it caught my attention. I wasn't sure about it because the movie is in Mandarin and I would have to rely on subtitles. I don't believe I have ever heard autism mentioned in any other country and I was intrigued, so I purchased the movie.I am the father of a 23 year old autistic girl. I have been around other autistic children and found the acting to be very believable. The storyline is heart wrenching. The writer had to have had some experience with an autistic family in some way, this movie made me see many things that are parallel to my life. I think all parents of disabled children worry about what will happen to the child when they are gone. I have to admit that I started crying a few times during this movie.While this movie is based in China, it really is universal. I believe it conveyed the feelings and emotions of all parents of autistic children. If you want to get a glimpse of the life of a family with autism, this movie will give you a slight idea. There is so much more pain and heartbreak and frustration that is not a part of this movie, but it is still a small window into autistic life.I wish I was able to contact the director and actors directly to thank them for this movie and express how emotional it was watching it.I HIGHLY recommend this movie, it was very well done.

duncanj-386-766468 Ocean Heaven is an intriguing movie for several reasons: 1. It portrays a young man with autism, who also shows emotion; 2. We see a sanitized view of modern day China and how disability is supposedly supported by average citizens and the state; and, 3. A terminally ill father struggles with finding support for his son.Each theme is a separate review I'm sure. I really did not want to like this film, and as a previous reviewer suggested, I was also prepared to turn my nose up after the opening dramatic scene. But I kept going with it. I'm glad I did.The actor who portrays the young man with autism is actually quite believable. He gets the gestures just right, the mannerisms, the vocalizations,and the expressions. Having known people with autism--all across the spectrum--for thirty years now, I was amazed at how nuanced this performance was, and it did not fall into the mistakes of stereotypical portrayals, such as Rain Man. It worked. His emotional side, based on fear of the unknown, was handled well, as was his father's reactions to him. The setting for the movie was another aspect of the film that captivated my interest. It is no secret that having a disability in Chinese society is complicated; there is stigma attached to the family, not much support in terms of formal schooling, and even less for social services in the community. It is not discussed, and rarely revealed. Most newborns with obvious disabilities (such as Down syndrome) are routinely abandoned in the hospital and left to die. So why this sudden sympathetic portrayal? Did China undergo a transformation after hosting the Special Olympics in 2008? They did, after all, implement a national policy of "be nice to people with disabilities" in preparation for those games. The natural supports for Dafu (son) were all around him, if his father would only look. The character of "auntie Chai" totally got Dafu. She could have enlisted his work ethic in her store. He already had a "job" swimming with the fish and sea mammals at the aquarium. We saw scenes of him being one with the water and marine life. And so on. But the film takes us on a trip to see Chinese institutional care, segregated schools, and missed opportunities for true inclusion in his community.There are side stories that don't advance the film, such as the circus troupe and the film star clown who juggles. The metaphor of the circus outsiders (some would also equate them to freak shows) accepting Dafu is an old cliché that wasn't necessary. Another side story that is not developed deals with his deceased Mother, who apparently could not handle the truth of her son's autism. There are veiled references to her untimely death as a suicide.Now the story has legs. The real issue that is presented is that it is understandable, and even acceptable for a parent to intentionally kill their child with a disability. Pity the poor parents, who have to endure the shame and burden of a child with a disability. This is how most people really feel. In fact, there is societal support for parents who murder their child out of pity. In Canada there is a famous case of Robert Latimer, a father from Saskatchewan, who murdered his daughter Tracy because she had cerebral palsy. Most Canadians thought Mr. Latimer a sympathetic figure, not deserving jail time for his crime. There are numerous instances of children and adults with autism who end up dead at the hands of a caregiver or family member. Check out the website notdeadyet for further reporting on this subject. So the opening scene, where Dafu chooses life for himself and his father is quite dramatic, and likely the best evidence of Dafu's intellect, emotion, and will to live. It is also a tribute to all those other people with disabilities who do not get to choose how their life unfolds, whether in China, or anywhere else.

joey-flats My sister has a 7 year old son who suffers vaccine injury leaving him autistic. I bought the DVD already knowing of the burden for parents having one of their five kids who'll most likely never leave their nest. There were a lot of details that this film got right: the attention span, the distractions, the stimming, the frustration of sensory overload. It's very painful to see someone repeatedly smash their head into a wall because the impact is actually giving them relief from their thoughts and over stimulated brain.As the film developed I found it emotionally crushing to see how the hearts of the characters themselves are all melted converts to a father's simple love in spite the inevitable conclusion of mortal separation. Everything of the film was superb except perhaps the blurry picture quality...no wait. I'm sorry, those were my tears that got in the way. The DVD played just fine.

Ryo Saeba I always been a great fan of jet Li and the martial arts cinema and this film just prove something that I knew for long time, how great actors some martial artists can be. but beyond the amazing performance of jet Li, this movie is a beautiful story about a terminally ill father and his autistic son, and how the real love is beyond everything even death...the performance of the rest of the cast is perfect,specially wen zhang, who plays jet Li's son, his performance is brilliant, this guy is going to be a star.All the cast shines on this beautiful tale.this is the kind of stories that make cinema so great and in my opinion this film is much better movie than any of the nominees to best picture movie of this year...